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188th Returns From Afghanistan

Although Staff Sgt. Billy Gilbert witnessed the birth of his son, Elijah, last month, it wasn’t until Friday morning outside a hangar at Ebbing Air National Guard Base that he held him for the first time.

“I got to hold him and now I don’t want to give him up,” the proud father said, while standing beside his wife Melissa.

Gilbert was one of about 300 members of the 188th Fighter Wing returning from a July deployment to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. It was Gilbert’s second overseas deployment — he went to Iraq with the 188th in 2005 — but his first as a husband and father.

As he stepped off the bus outside a hangar at Ebbing, Gilbert said he was “truly nervous at first” as he searched for his wife and son among a huge crowd of friends and families eager to greet their loved ones, although it probably didn’t compared to the nerves he experienced Sept. 19.

On Sept. 19, with the help of Skype and the cooperation of the staff at Mercy Fort Smith — cooperation for which the Greenwood couple said they are eternally grateful — Gilbert watched as Melissa gave birth to their son by cesarean section.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking,” Gilbert said.

Although he was half a world away and witnessing the birth online, Gilbert said it still made him cry.

And because she had Elijah by C-section, Melissa said her husband got to see their son before she did, despite his being in Afghanistan.

In addition to returning home to a new son, Gilbert came home to a new job as a full-time member of the 188th, after being a traditional Guardsman for about 10 years.

While the 188th’s deployment provided a series of firsts for Gilbert, it represented the final deployment for Master Sgt. William Liggett, who will retire Dec. 31.

Liggett was scheduled to retire Oct. 1 after more than 31 years, but he agreed to extend his service for a few months to participate in the July deployment, which also allowed him to deploy with his son, Airman 1st Class Sean Liggett. Both Liggetts live in Mulberry.

“It was really neat to get to go with my son,” William Liggett said. “He did a fantastic job.”

The younger Liggett said he’s always wanted to join the National Guard — which he did earlier this year at 28 years old, saying it was better late than never — and he’s always wanted to serve with his father.

Although several returning members of the 188th said rest will be paramount over the next few days, Sean Liggett had something he had to do above anything else.

After he was greeted by his mother, Susan; wife, Brandy; and 2-year-old son, Paxton, Sean Liggett’s next stop was a surprise visit to his daughter, Caitie, a first-grader at Alma Primary School.

At Bagram, the 188th flew combat missions providing close-air support for ground troops in Afghanistan.

During the deployment, Arkansas A-10s delivered more than 60,000 30mm cannon rounds and more than 250 precision munitions on targets in support of coalition forces, according to Air Force public affairs.

Another group of 188th airmen will return from Bagram with the unit’s aircraft next week, according to a news release.